This Creamy Chicken Poblano Soup has layers and layers of flavors from the roasted poblano peppers and pepper jack cheese to the corn, Yukon gold potatoes, cream and spices. Serve it up with all your favorite toppings like tortilla strips, cilantro and sour cream. It makes a delicious soup dinner and leftovers are even better the next day!!
Soup is an absolute favorite in the Mom’s Dinner kitchen. Some of our other favorites that you should check out are Copycat Zuppa Toscana, Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup, and Instant Pot Beef and Barley.
This Soup is the Best because…
- Taking the time to roast the poblano peppers enhances the flavor and makes the perfect texture.
- It is creamy without being too thick.
- Pepper Jack cheese is the perfect compliment to the poblano peppers.
- Yukon gold potatoes and corn make this a hearty soup perfect for the Fall and Winter (and the occasional cold Spring night).
- The leftovers of this Chicken Poblano soup are AMAZING!
Ingredients
Pictured are the ingredients that you need to grab to make Chicken Poblano Soup, plus some tips on a few ingredients:
Diced or Shredded Chicken – I love to use rotisserie chicken breasts for this recipe, it makes things a lot easier. But you can also roast chicken breasts at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or poach chicken breasts or make Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken. As always, I recommend using air chilled chicken if you are not going with rotisserie!
Poblano Peppers – You can find fresh poblano peppers in the produce section at the grocery store. They are a dark green color and look like a long bell pepper or a huge jalapeno pepper. Read more about poblanos below.
Garnishes – the soup garnishes are not pictured and totally optional. But if you love to load your soup up with all the extras here are some ideas – sour cream, tortilla strips, green onions, cheese, jalapenos, cilantro, lime wedges, hot sauce… all work!
Poblano Peppers
A poblano looks like a huge, dark green jalapeno pepper. They are not very spicy at all, they just have a delicious mild pepper flavor. When a poblano is dried it is called an ancho or chile ancho.
By roasting the poblano you enhance all it’s natural flavors, soften the flesh, and remove the skin and seeds.
How To Roast Poblano Peppers in the Oven
To roast a poblano start by moving the oven rack to the top position and preheating the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Then add your peppers, no need to oil them!
Pop them in the oven on the top rack. Broil for about 4-5 minutes until the skin is bubbled and blackened. With a pair of tongs flip the peppers and then broil for another 4-5 minutes.
Remove the peppers and pop them into a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap for about 15 minutes.
Steam will build up in the bowl and the skin will separate from the poblano flesh.
Now the skin should tear off the pepper very easily, also remove the seed pod and the stem. Discard the skin and seeds/stem.
Chop the remaining peppers for your soup!
How To Roast Poblano Peppers on a Gas Stove
Now if you are lucky enough to have a gas stove top, you can use that instead of the oven. However it does take more of a watchful eye.
Turn a gas burner on medium/high. With metal tongs place the pepper directly over the flame and let it get charred and blistered. Turn the pepper occasionally so it chars on all sides.
Then place the poblano in a covered bowl. Repeat with all the peppers and hold in the covered bowl for about 10 minutes.
Then remove the skin and seeds/stem.
Chicken Poblano Soup Step By Step Instructions
After you have roasted the poblanos the soup is pretty easy to put together.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven heat the vegetable oil and butter over medium heat.
- Sauté the onions until softened, about 5 minutes, then add the chopped garlic cloves.
- Add the flour and cook while stirring for 1-2 minutes.
- Whisk in the chicken stock and add the potatoes and kosher salt, bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium and cook the potatoes for 10-15 minutes until fork tender.
- Stir in the roasted poblanos, cooked chicken, corn, heavy cream, cumin and chili powder.
- Simmer the soup for a few minutes then stir in the cheese to melt.
- Add the chopped fresh cilantro.
- As always, taste for additional seasoning.
Serving & Storing
Serve the Chicken Poblano Soup hot with garnishes available (sour cream, cheese, tortilla strips, cilantro, etc…). It is also great with some chips and guacamole on the side or cornbread or cornbread muffins with honey.
This soup makes AMAZING leftovers. Keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Perfect Meal Prep Soup!
Like I said before this Chicken Poblano Soup Recipe makes amazing leftovers. It thickens and increases in flavor, just like chili!
To make ahead simply prepare completely and then let cool. Refrigerate for up to 4 days and then reheat portions in the microwave or reheat the whole recipe on the stove top.
I would not recommend freezing this soup due to the dairy content.
Recipe Tips
Follow these final tips to make sure your Chicken Poblano Soup turns out perfect!
- Make sure to fully roast your poblano peppers and remove all the skin.
- Shred your own cheese instead of buying pre-shredded, it melts up creamier.
- Taste the soup before serving to make sure the spices are just right.
- Add the garnishes that your family will love.
More Amazing Soup Recipes
If you love this soup recipe you will also love any of these:
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Creamy Chicken Poblano Soup Recipe
Equipment
- large pot
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon oil canola or vegetable
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 large onion chopped (yellow or white)
- 6 garlic cloves finely chopped
- ⅓ cup (scant) all purpose flour
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 lb. Yukon Gold Potatoes cut into ½ inch cubes (no need to peel)
- 5 large poblano peppers roasted, peeled, deseeded, and chopped (this is around 1 ½-2 cups)
- 2-3 cups cooked chicken diced or shredded (see notes)
- 2 cups frozen corn kernels
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 oz block pepper jack cheese shredded
- 1 teaspoon each: cumin & chili powder
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
Garnish
- sour cream, cheese, tortilla strips, cilantro, lime wedges, or green onions (all optional)
Instructions
Roasting Poblano Peppers
- Preheat your broiler and place the top rack in the highest position, about 8 inches from the heating element.
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and lay the peppers on the pan. (no need for oil)
- Place in the oven and let the peppers roast until they are blistered and blackened (this will be about 4-6 minutes). Turn the peppers and roast the other side (another 4-6 minutes).
- Remove from the oven and transfer the peppers to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let them sit in the covered bowl for 10-15 minutes.The steam will build up and separate the skin from the poblano flesh.
- Take the peppers out of the bowl. With clean hands peel the skin from the peppers, it should easily slide off. Then remove the seed pod and stem. Discard the skin and seeds. Chop the remaining flesh.Pro Tip- do not run the peppers under water or you run the risk of washing off the roasted flavor.
- TO ROAST ON GAS STOVE TOP: if you have a gas stove top you can turn a burner on medium/high. With metal tongs place the pepper over the flame, let it blister and char completely, turn it so it charrs on all sides. Then place in a covered bowl and repeat with remaining peppers. Let sit covered for at least 10 minutes. Remove the skin and seeds/stem. Chop the remaining flesh.
Soup
- Heat the oil and butter over medium heat in a heavy bottom pot or Dutch oven.
- Add the onions and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and heat for another 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle in the flour and cook while stirring for 1-2 minutes.
- Whisk in the chicken broth. Add the potatoes and kosher salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are fork tender (about 10-15 minutes).
- Add the roasted/peeled/chopped poblano peppers, cooked chicken, corn, heavy cream, cumin and chili powder.
- Stir in pepper jack cheese so that it is melted into the soup.
- Add the chopped cilantro. Taste for additional seasoning.
Serving
- Serve the Creamy Chicken Poblano Soup hot, in bowls with garnishes available for topping. (Chips and guacamole or cornbread / cornbread muffins are great on the side!)
Storing
- Leftovers of this soup are killer!!!! It thickens and the flavors meld together (just like this chicken chili).Store leftover soup in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Notes:
If nutrition facts are provided they are calculated as an estimate to the best of our knowledge.
Andrea Howe
Oh my gosh I LOVE poblanos but don’t often know what the heck to make with them! This recipe was easy, delicious and so comforting. My whole family loved it so thanks!
John
Loved this soup so much. It had great flavor and a nice subtle heat that adds to the flavor. 10 stars out of 5!